Fair Grounds: I'm Very Busy takes on 12 rivals in Muniz Memorial

Fresh off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, I’m Very Busy ships to Fair Grounds to take on 12 older turf males in the $300,000 Muniz Memorial (G2) presented by Horse Racing Nation.

Run at 1 1/18 miles, the Muniz will go as Race 10 with a post time of 5:36 p.m. EDT on Saturday’s 12-race Louisiana Derby day card. Slated as the centerpiece of the $1 million estimated pool all-stakes Pick 5, the Muniz will be preceded by the Tom Benson Memorial and the New Orleans Classic (G2). The final two legs in the sequence are the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2).

Trained by Chad Brown, I’m Very Busy moved forward nicely in the first start of his 4-year-old campaign to finish a half-length shy of Warm Heart in the Pegasus Turf. With two place finishes in graded stakes, the two-time winning colt is unproven at the Muniz distance and drew the far outside post in the field of 13. One of two entered by Brown, along with Adhamo who drew the rail, I’m Very Busy was made the tepid 4-1 morning line favorite and will see Irad Ortiz Jr. return to the saddle.

Webslinger follows the same path as I’m Very Busy, as the Mark Casse trainee entered the Muniz after a tough trip sixth-place finish in the Pegasus Turf. One of three entries from the barn, along with Strong Quality and Palazzi, Webslinger has three stakes wins on his resume, including a gritty American Turf (G2) score on the 2023 Kentucky Derby undercard. The 4-year-old gelded son of Constitution is a neck and a head shy of winning two Grade 1s. Drawing post 3 and made the 9-2 second choice, Webslinger will see jockey Flavien Prat leg up for the first time.

The winners of two of the three turf stakes in the local series enter to take on these fresh faces, as Strong Quality and Beatbox look to cash another check in the Muniz. Gate-to-wire Colonel E.R. Bradley winner Strong Quality lost the jump at the finish line to Beatbox in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) last out. With regular rider Florent Geroux at Oaklawn on Saturday, John Velazquez gets the call from Casse and will surely be a full send from post 2.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Beatbox has been second in his three local efforts prior to outfinishing Strong Quality in the Fair Grounds. The 6-year-old Pioneerof the Nile horse won the Dust Commander at Turfway Park as a 4-year-old. Since coming back off a freshening in October, Beatbox has not finished out of the money in five starts. Aboard for his three Fair Grounds stakes runs, Jockey Joel Rosario returns to the irons and will break Beatbox from post 4.

The thrilling Fair Grounds Stakes photo finish also included Johny’s Fireball. Since his gutsy allowance win last fall at Keeneland for trainer Norm Casse, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tonalist aims to add a first stakes victory to his resume. With three of his five lifetime scores coming on the grass, Johny’s Fireball will begin the journey for a fourth from post 9 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

In what appears to be a wide-open edition of the Muniz, 4-year-old Gigante is one payday away from surpassing $1 million in career earnings. Beaten by 2 3/4 lengths last out in the Fair Grounds Stakes, Gigante finished fourth in his first try against older horses. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the Not This Time colt is winless at the Muniz distance, but he does have a local stakes score going shorter, beating a strong field of 3-year-old peers in December’s Woodchopper.

“He was in off a bit of a freshening so hopefully he can continue on to the wire,” Asmussen said. “It's a nice race, a very good race. The odds ought to be his liking. It seems like he waits until he’s a long shot to win.”

Tabbed at 10-1 by Mike Diliberto, the six-time winner Gigante boasts three victories at double-digit odds. Jockey Edgar Morales will ride from post 7.